Shane: an Avery brother novel

Chapter Six

Seven Years Earlier

May

Two weeks before prom

Shane leans back against the brick wall of the Earth Science Building towards the back of campus. He's wearing loose jeans that sit dangerously low on his hips and a simple plain, white t-shirt that stretches against the muscles on his arms.

"I don't do prom," Shane says shaking his head no. His long, messy hair falls into his blue eyes as he clarifies defiantly. "It's not my thing."

I knew that. I knew that far before my best friend Taylor, Shane's twin sister, talked me into "the plan." I had argued that he would decline my offer, laughing. I was certain. After all, I'd known Shane since we were tiny and he'd never liked dancing. Ever. Not when he was six. Not in middle school. And certainly not now.

And as far as I know, he's never attended a single dance—not even when Erin Moss, the prettiest girl in Blackmoor high school asked him to Winter Formal. He'd laughed then too, as the rumors said, and explained simply, "it's not my thing." If Shane wouldn't go to Winter Formal with Erin Moss, he sure as hell wouldn't go to Junior Prom with me.

But somehow Taylor convinced me to ask him anyway. She has that way about her—a way of speaking that makes her opinions sound like facts...a way of convincing you that you can do something impossible if she just believes in you.

"The plan," as we called it, involved making a cheesy card, complete with glitter and a heart on the front, asking if he'd go with me. Tucked inside, were two tickets to see his favorite band, Brand New, in June. Taylor insisted that despite his cool persona, he's really into thoughtful things. She promised that the heartfelt card and the tickets, and the fact that it was me, would be enough to woo him. I was clearly delusional.

"He likes you—really likes you," Taylor swore. "I think he likes you more than any of the girls before. In fact, I think he might love you." I shook her off, turning red in the face. He didn't love me. But I hoped—no I prayed—that it was true, that he did love me and if I asked him to the dance he'd say yes for no other reason that he just wanted to be with me.

Because I love Shane Avery. I loved him from the moment he'd climbed the tree next door in first grade, and I love him more every time I see him. But then again, so does every other girl in school.

"Oh," I say, my eyes drop to the ground. No. He said no. I knew he would say no. Why had I asked him anyways? I sound hurt. I wish I was better at pretending.

"Okay," I muster.

Shane reaches out and touches my chin. The skin on his fingertips is coarse from all of the drumming that he does. He tilts my head back up so my eyes meet his. His tongue flicks the metal ring in the corner of his mouth before he speaks. "Even if it was my thing, I have a show that night with my band."

I nod.

"But if it was my kinda thing, I would go with you." My eyes break away from his bright blues.

I know exactly what he's trying to do. Let me down easily. Because I'm his next door neighbor and best friends with his sister, he's trying to play nice. I was stupid to think that he'd want to go to prom with me. Especially after I heard he'd already turned down a few other girls who had asked. It's selfish and I know it, but I didn't care. I'm crushed. And his crappy attempt to comfort me only makes me feel more stupid.